The United States has listed Nigeria among 14 countries recruiting and using child soldiers, while raising concerns over official complicity in human trafficking and the failure to prosecute implicated government officials.
The findings are contained in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, covering April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. Nigeria retained its Tier 2 status, reserved for countries that do not fully meet minimum anti-trafficking standards but are making significant efforts to comply.
The US Department of State said the government did not report investigations, prosecutions or convictions of public officials allegedly involved in trafficking crimes. It also raised concerns about inadequate victim support, noting that only 675 victims received assistance in 2025, down from 2,058 in 2024.
The report said Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province continued to recruit and abduct children, including those as young as 12, for combat and support roles, as well as suicide attacks.
Nigeria’s inclusion on the Child Soldiers Prevention Act list could trigger restrictions on military assistance, training and certain defence sales from October 1, 2026, unless a presidential waiver applies.
The report also highlighted forced labour, sexual exploitation, child trafficking and so-called baby factories, where women are allegedly detained and forced to give birth to children for sale. It further raised concerns about the exploitation of foreign nationals in online scam operations and the alleged recruitment of Nigerians to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
However, the US acknowledged progress in Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts. Authorities investigated 1,341 cases involving 1,367 suspects, prosecuted 94 suspects and secured 97 convictions in 2025, compared with 49 convictions in 2024.
The government also increased funding for victim services to N233 million and prevention programmes to N245 million, identified 2,004 victims and coordinated the repatriation of 428 Nigerians exploited abroad.